On this day in:

1815 Andrew Jackson Downing was born. American horticulturist, author of ‘The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America’ (1845) and editor of the 'Horticulturist' periodical.

1877 Irma S. Rombauer was born (died Oct 14, 1962). Author of 'The Joy of Cooking' - one of the most published cookbooks, she originally had to pay to have the book privately published in 1931. Finally in 1936, publisher Bobbs-Merril Co. published the cookbook and it has been in print ever since.

1893 The last day of the World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago World's Fair) in Chicago, Illinois. It celebrated the 400th anniversary of Columbus' arrival in the New World in 1492.

1929 Prohibition ends in Nova Scotia, Canada, replaced by government control of liquor sales.

1938 Martians attack Earth! Or so many radio listeners thought when hearing Orson Welles' radio broadcast of H.G. Wells 'War of the Worlds.' The broadcast was done in a series of 'news alerts' which millions of listeners believed were real.

1945 Shoe rationing ended in the U.S.

1947 The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was signed by 23 nations in Geneva. The Agreement eventually led to the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995.

1964 Buffalo Wings were created by Teressa Bellissimo at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, for her son and some friends as a midnight snack.(Original Redhot Buffalo Wings)